October 26th

Good week, how is everyone? Yes, this is Halloween week, I imagine that you might have taught the fifth graders about dia de muertos but what you dont know is what they do here in Tantoyuka. its called Xantolo, pronounced chantolo. It all starts on the 31 and goes to the 2nd of November, they are 3 days that the streets here in town are filled with people and satan is let loose, like the hundred years after the milenial with the exception that the people here aren't so righteoous to withstand his cunning temptations. colonias get together and pratise dancing and musical performances and they go do choreographic dancing things in the night time, and give food to the muertos, some put on masks and costumes and dance and some masks are made out of wood and are like mystically structured by the hand of the devil and the last day, the 2nd is the last and they rock it off by getting really drunk and partying until the next day and they all take off their masks to see who was wearing what mask. and during this time frame supposedly alot of homosexual guys dressed up as girls and go all over the plasce and also some and the worst part is that some people dress up as missionaries with ties, and fake name tags and carry around books of mormon but on the inside they put pornography or somethin bad. thats what members and other poeple have told us what they do, so we´ll see what happens. They tell us that we shouldn't be out later than 7 or 8 and that Wednesday we might as well not work because it wont be productive so we'll se what happens.

We had an alright week. I think im getting a little more use to how to work here in this town, in preach my gospel ch. 9 says that there are different ways to work in different areas all over the world and this place is alot different than my beloved Mante. We're getting used to things, we got another brand new elder in the district and my best friend Branch President Elder Willmore got a new comp that he says seems really good and were all pretty excited as a district to see what we can work out. Its cool to think about the circumstances that were in as a mission and zones and areas. There were some missions in Mexico that baptize 250+ in a change and Before President Call came, our misions nickname was Mision Mexico TanFrito instead of Mision Mexico Tampico for the disobedience of the missionaries and problems with missionaries and members and its been an interesting change to come to pass, obviously really slow. I heard a rumor once things use to be so bad that at one point there was 4 baptisms in one change in the entire mission and the old Pres. got mad and things started out rough with President Call when he started but in the first part of my mission as a mission was baptizing about 70 for change and it has gradually gone up and now is moderating about 130 for change so in a little more than a year it almost doubled and about all the older missionaries that were bad have gone home and the older generations that were effected by them are going home and i think as a mission is being purified and becoming better. And some times working with members is a little rough because sometimes they have a bad impression of missionaries and don't understand our purpose so we got to help them understand and still be loving doing it. sometimes we just dont realize how much a tiny change make a difference in our lives, be it for good or for bad. It's like salvation the road is straight and narrow. one degree off tract may seem like nothing at all but in the end its impossible to arrive at the same destination where you would want to go. Thats why the closer and closer we can come unto the will of God to follow what He would want to do is how we can glorify Him in the eyes of the people. If we as members could just comprehend the importance to do the little things like read our scriptures, say family prayers, go to church, do family home evening and love other people, Gods Kingdom would imensely grow and quickly. but most are unbelievers and place other things of lesser importance in place of what our Father would have us do. our natural man is the only thing holding the Work back. But the church as in a whole starts with the change of one. One person that changes, and that good influence can spread until all are excited and work. but if one doesnt change, he or she cannot expect others to change. I hope all can figure that out, to be examples set aside our sins and run the race placed ahead with patience, with our eyes placed in the author of our salvaiton, even Jesus Christ. May you all remember these things that for small and simple means, God can make great things come to pass. love you all and do it.
Elder Hobbs

OCTOBER 19th

Well I love you all , I'm so happy for all of you and how well its going for you, I had a pretty cool week, we had interviews with Pres. Call, I did divisions with my friend Elder Willmore it was fun, he's the branch president out there. Elder Cook sent me a little tarjeta letter to me that our moms know each other and that his sister works at mom's school. thats cool, he´s a really good Elder. Im glad you are doing FHE so that you can become closer to Christ and more united as a family. Small and simple things bring to pass great things. We have a miracle lady that is very chosen and wants to be baptized and loves the church after going once and reading a pamphlet about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm happy for this time in my life and am very convinced that we need to analize every little decision in our life if its going to take us to the celestial kingdom or the misery and cautivity of the devil. Elder Beltran is doing well and progressing well and getting use to the groove of things.
love you all and do well
Elder Hobbs